Game apparatus.



No. 725,118. PATENTED APR, 14, 1903 A. MUELLER. GAME APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED OUT. 29, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

NEE

i TATES l.

ANDREAS MUELLER, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GAIVIE APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 725,118, dated April14, 1903.

Application filed October 29, 1902. Serial No. 129,243, (No model.)

To (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREAS MUELLER, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of Cook and State ofIllinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in GameApparatuses, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to game apparatus; and its objects will beunderstood from the following description, together Wit-h the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan of a game-boardconstructed according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section ofthe same along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an elevation of aspinning-top which is suitable for use in connection with the game-boardshown. Fig. 4 is a top plan of such spinning-top.

In the device shown the game-board consists of a circular plate 1,supported by suitable legs 2 and having in its upper surface adish-shaped cavity 3. A plurality of balls 4 rest loosely in the cavity3. The bottom 5 of the cavity 3 is preferably concave, so that the balls4 will tend to gravitate toward the center of said cavity. The bottom 5is provided with a plurality of depressions or pockets 6 and 7. Thedepressions 6 are arranged in a circle around the center of the cavity 3and are of the form shown, having an abrupt shoulder 8 at theirinnermost point and being otherwise formed so that the balls 4 willeasily lodge therein. The depressions 7 are located near the wallssurrounding the cavity 3 and at a greater distance from the center ofsaid cavity than the depressions 6. The depressions 7 are shallower thanthe depressions (i and are adapted to hold the balls 4 less firmly thanthe depressions 6. The side walls 9 of the cavity 3 are quite abrupt, soas to prevent the balls 4. from being thrown out of said cavity.

The spinning-top 10 consists of a disk 11, having axially securedthereto an extended shank 12. The upper part 13 of the shank 12 ispreferably circular in cross section, while the part 14 below the disk11 is preferably prismatic or square, so as to present a plurality ofshoulders 15. The point 16 of the top is rounded and blunt.

The operation of the device shown is as follows: The balls 4 are placedin the depressions 3 and the top is spun on the bottom 5 of thegame-board. The downward slope of the bottom causes the top to movetoward the center among the balls 4, and the rapidlyrotating shoulders15 strike the balls and drive them outwardly toward the edges of thecavity 3. Such balls as pass, over the edges of the depression 6 becomelodged therein, but the balls will become lodged in the depressions 7only when they enter such depressions at a low rate of speed. If theballs strike the wall 9, their tendency is to bound back over thedepressions 7. The dif ferent depressions may be numbered. to representthe number of points with which a player will be credited when one ofthe balls becomes lodged in any of such depressions.

It will be seen that some of the details of the construction shown maybe altered Without departing from the spirit of my invention. Itherefore do not confine myself to such details, except as hereinafterlimited in the claims.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-- 1. A game apparatus, comprising a dishshaped game-board having thebottom ofit-s innersurface concave; aball and a spinning-top having ashoulder thereon adapted to engage said ball when the top is spinningnear same; said concave surface having therein a plurality ofdepressions arranged around its middle part; said depressions being ofoblong form and arranged with their longest axes disposed radially ofsaid game-board, being of greatest depth and terminating in an abruptshoulder toward the center of the gameboard, sloping gradually towardthe outer part of said game-board and being each adapted to retain suchball, substantially as described.

2. A game apparatus, comprising an annular concave gam e-boardsurrounded by an abrupt vertically-disposed annular wall; a ball adaptedto roll in the concave part of said game-board and to be retainedtherein by said annular wall; a spinning-top having shoulders adapted todrive said ball toward different parts of the game-board; said gameruposhoulder on the side toward the center board having in its face nearsaid wall a pluof said game-board,substantially as described. 10 ralityof shallow depressions adapted to re- Signed at Chicago, this 25th dayof Octotain said ball, and having at a considerable ber, 1902.

5 distance from said wall a plurality of larger ANDREAS MUELLER.

depressions adapted to more readily retain Witnesses: said ball, saidlarger depressions sloping WM. R. RUMMLER,

gradually toward said wall and having an ab- BLANCHE MICHAEL.

